Smoker&#39;s shield.



H. F. W. BENZE.

SMOKERS SHIELD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. 1916.

I Patented Au 29, 1916.

i NVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY nit-ion.

, HENRY F. BENZE, 0F AMELIA, NEBRASKA.

SMOKERS SHIELD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23 1%]16.

Application filed March 23, 1916. Serial No. 86,231.

To all w ham it may concern:

Be' it known that f, HENRY F. W. BENZE,

a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and having filed a declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States, residing at Amelia, in the countyof Holt and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Smokers Shields, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a smokers shield the flame of a match without danger of the flame being extinguished from a'gust of wind.

The invention further aims to provide a smokers shield which will consist of a canopy mounted upon a match bOX, the canopy being collapsible in a manner that will take but very little more space than the ordinary match box and one which, when it is desired. to be used, can be quickly and simply opened by releasing'and holdingthe catch whereby the canopy will be automatically opened.

As a further object of the invention the device consists of a container in which the match box is adapted to be held, being open at both ends for gaining access to the matches in the match box, the container having the collapsible canopy attached thereto and adapted to be held in open position by means of spring elements attached at one end to the container and at the other end to the top of the canopy.

v A further object of this invention isthe and the advantages and merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following descrip tion and the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, in which;

. Eigure 1 is an end elevation showing the canopy in open position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing the canopy in closed position.

The ordinary safety match box is indicated by the numeral 1 and is mounted within a container 2 which is open at each end wherebythe safety match box may be mounted within the container and the side 3 of the container is provided with an elongated slot 4 through which access may be had to the scratch paper which is carried on each side of the match boX in the ordinary manner. The top 5 of the container is provided 011 each end with flanges 6 in which are secured the ends of springs 7 and the opposite ends of the springs 7 are connected to flanges S which are carried by a plate 9 which is mounted in spaced relation to the top 5 of the container and adapted to .move vertically toward and away from the top 5 when the canopy is opened or closed. The canopy 10 is constructed of fabric and is of rectangular formation having its edges secured to the top of the container 5 and the under side of the plate 9 as in-- dicated by Fig:- 3 of the drawing. The front ofthe canopy is provided with an opening 11 whereby the smoker may extend a cigarette, cigar or pipe within the canopy for lighting the same without danger of the flame of the match being extinguished. The lower edge of the side 3 of the box is provided with hinges 12 which receive the edge of a catch plate 13 hingedly mounted on the hinges 12 and having its free edge 'provided with a catch 14: designed to fit over the curved edge 15 of the plate 9. The opposite side of the container, at the upper edge thereof, is provided with a pair of clips 16 which have their ends curved to fit ofthe plate 9 opposite to the edge upon of the drawing. The catch plate 13 will then be swung into operative position calls,-

ing the catch 14 to snap over the curved edge 15 and the members 16 will be snapped over the curved edge 17 and the plate 9 will be thereby held in locked position and the v the match box when it is desired to ignite a match under circumstances whereby the canopy will not necessarily be employed.

Attached to the plate 9 on the under face thereof, is a supporting rod 19 which has a sponge 20 mounted onone end thereof and is adapted to beheld against the bottom of the plate 9 by means of spring elements 21. This sponge 20 is kept dampened whereby the match may be extinguished when the smoker has ignited the tobacco and desired to smother the flame of the match.

From the foregoing it will be observed that a very simple and durable smokers shield has been provided, the details of which embody the preferred form. I desire it to be understood however, that slight changes or modifications in the minor details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim:

1. The combination with a match box, of a container for the match box, a metallic plate arranged in spaced relation to said container, fabric secured to the edges of the plate and to the top of said container, and resilient means for normally holding said plate in raised. position.

2. The combination with a match box, of a container for the'match box, of afabric canopy of the same perimetr-ic shape as the container arranged above the top of the container and secured thereto, and means for resiliently supporting the said canopy.

3. The combination with a match box, of a container for the match box, a collapsible canopy including a plate disposed in spaced relation to the container, and provided with curved edges, a catch plate hingedly carried by the container, and clips carried by the opposite side of the container, said clips and said catch plate adapted to be connected to the curved edges of said plate for holding the said canopy in collapsed position.

4. The combination with a match box, of a container for the match box, a collapsible canopy including a plate of the same size as the top of the container, fabric connected to the edges of the plate and to the top of the container and being open on one side, spring elements connected at their ends to the container and to the plate, and fastening elements carried by the container and adapted to be secured to the edges of said plate when said canopy is in collapsed position.

5. The combination with a match box, of a container for the match box having both of its ends open, a catch plate mounted upon one side ofsaid container, collapsible means mounted on said container, clips mounted upon one side of said container and adapted to engage with said collapsible means.

6. The combination with a match box, of a container for the match box, a collapsible canopy including a plate of the same size as the top of the container, fabric connected to the edges of theplate and to the top of the container and being open on one side, sprihg elements connected at their ends to the container and to the plate, and fastening clements carried by the container and adapted to be secured to the edgesof said plate when said canopy is in collapsed position, and means secured to the bottom of said plate and disposed within said canopy for snufiing the flame of amatch.

7. The combination with a match box, of a container for the match box, the end edges of said container carrying upturned flanges, a rectangular plate disposed above and in spaced relation to the said container and having its end edges bent downwardly to provide flanges, the longitudinal edges of the said plate being curved upwardly, spring elements disposed in each end of the container and having their ends secured to the flanges on'said container and to thefiangcs on said plate, and clips carried by the container and adapted to connect with the curved edges of the plate for holding said plate in close proximity to the container against the tension of said spring elements. 8. The combination with a match box, of a container for the match box, a collapsible canopy carried by said container and provided with a metallic plate at its top, flanges carried by said container and by said metallic plate, resilient means interposed on the flanges on said container and the flanges on said plate, means for holding said plate in lowered position against the tension of said resilient means, and means carried by said container for snufling the flame of a match.

9. The combination with a match box, of a collapsible canopy carried by the match box, resilient means for normally holding said canopy in open position, a catch plate carried by said box and provided with a longitudinal opening, said catch plate adapted to hold one edge of the top of said canopy in closed position, and clips carried by the opposite side of said box and adapted to hold the opposite side of said canopy in closed position.

10. The combination with a match box, of a container, a collapsible canopy carried by 1,396,646 said container at the upper portion thereof, and provided With a' metallic top adapted to move vertically with respect to the top of said container for opening and closingsaid canopy, resilient means carried by said container and connected to the metallic top of said canopy for holding the top of said canopy in open position, and means for holding the top of said canopy in contact with the top of said container.

In testimony Whereqf-l ailix my signature in presence of twd j esses. HENRW W. BENZE.

"Witnesses:

BERT SCOTT, HERMAN NIssnN.

Eagles of fame patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commisaioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

